Loading hood for snow removing mechanisms



Sept. 27, 1932. w. E. KLAUER ET AL LOADING HOOD FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISMS Filed Nov. 15, 1 929 s sheets-sheet 1 Sepf- 27, 1932- w. E. KLAUER ET AL 1,879,315

LOADING HOOD FOR S-NOW REMOVIN-GMECHANISMS Filed Nov. 15, 1929 :s sheets-sheet 2 Je' .53 o* 9 24"...) i l 704' 702 40 o o I. l 4 i 3mm/0145 (ZIASZra/nde; W. EZKZaue;

Sept. 27, 1932. w. E. KLAUER E1' AL LOADINYG HOOD FOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. l5. 1929 WEK Zaue;

Patented Sept. 27, 1932 I UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE WALTER E. KLAUER AND CHARLES L. OSTRANDER, OF DUBUQU, IOWA, ASSIGNORS TO KLAUER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, F DUBUQUE, IOWA., A CORPORATION Ol' IOWA LOADING HOOD EOR SNOW REMOVING MECHANISMS vApplication led November 15, 1929. Serial No. 407,499.

This invention relates to loading hoods Jfor snow removing mechanisms, and esp'ecially to such hoods which are adjustable and removable.

, The primary object of the invention is to provide a hood to lead snow ejected by a fan away from a fan casing. A second object is to provide a hood so arranged that air driven out with the snow may escape from the snow. It vsuch arrangement is not made, a blast of air will be carried up with the snow, and will seriously affect the discharge. The object of the present construction is to permit the air blast to dispel'itself while the snow is still directed by the hood.

A second object ofthe invention is to provide such a hood which may be lowered for transportation and raised for use, and may be adjusted to different heights. Still another object is to provide a hood by which the Fig. 4 is a view of the end of the hood removed rom the body.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. y Fig. 6 is a detail top plan view of the upper connection between the body portion of the hood and the end portion.

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section of the lower connection between the body portion and end portion.

This invention is especially intended for snow removing mechanisms of the type having a fan rotating on a horizontal shaft and a casing surrounding the fan and having a spout out of which the fan drives the snow. The fan casing is preferably adjustable.

2 represents in general the body ofa snowremoving mechanism having a fan casing el. On one side of the casing is a spout 6 out of which the snow is driven at a high speed by the fan 5. This spout is rectangular in crosssection. To the end of the spout 6 is secured a spout extension 8, also rectangular as shown in Fig. 5. This construction may be varied, however, by forming the fan casing as manuactured long enough to receive the hood, or by leaving a space between the fan casing and the hood, without the use of any eXtension on the spout.

The hood 10 consists essentially of an inverted channel shaped member formed in a smooth curve. By a smooth curve it is meant that the curvature of the hood is al- Ways in the same general direction and never reachesl zero, so that no tangent to the hood will cut it at any other point. Obviously the cross sectional shape of the hood may be any which will prevent the escape of snow from the sides by forming an inverted trough, such as U or V shaped inverted channels. This hoodis arranged so that snow ejected from the spout strikes the top of the channel and is directed toward the side of the machine. The snow having considerable Weight is held in the channel by centrifugal force and follows the channel oii' to the side, butJ the blast of air driven from the tan with the snow dissipates quickly on account of the lack of weight and the snow leaves the hood free from the effect of the air blast. The curvature, while always in one direction, is not constant in the preferred form, but increases progressively with the distance from the fan casing, so that the outer end of the hood is most sharply curved. This increase in curvature increases the frlction and 'thus decreases the velocity with which the snow leaves the hood.

vAs the velocity decreases the curvature inthe shape of a. portion of an ellipse. The curvature therefore, increases gradually towards its outer end according to a known law.

The hood 10 is connected to the spout eX- tension as shown by a lpair of channels 12 fixed on the inside of the hood. Rollers 14 carried on a rod 16, which is carried by brackets 18 welded, riveted or otherwise secured to the spout extension 8, run in the channels 12 and thus form a pivotal, slidable connection. If no spout extension is Vto be used, the brackets 18 may be secured to the spout itself, either with or without a space between the spout and the hood. Bolts 20 which secure the channels 12 to the hood at either end also serve as stops to prevent the rollers from escaping from the ends of the channels. In this way, as the hood is raised or lowered, the rollers'move in the channels and permit movement of the hood to a number of differentpositions as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. In this way the angle at which the snow from the spout strikes the hood may be adjusted to suit any conditions which may arise, and the height of the outer end of the hood may be varied to trucks of different height. The lower end of the hood is reinforced1 by a bracket 22 fixed to the hood for supporting the ends of the rod 16.

For supporting the outer end of the hood, uprights 24 are provided on the machine. The upper parts 26 of these uprights are hinged. at 28 to the lower parts so that they can be swung downward and inward over the body of the machine. Braces 30 run from other points on the body to the tops of the uprights 24S to support them. On the upper ends of the uprights are plates 32 to which the braces 3() are secured and in which are the pivots 28. Apertures 34 are provided in these plates and corresponding apertures 36 are provided in the upper parts 26, so that the parts can be held in alignment by the insertion of bolts or other similar means.

On the outer side of the plate, eyes 38 are provided through which run cables 40 for raising and lowering the hood. A shaft 42 is carried in bearings on the lower part of the uprights 24 to be turned by a removable crank 44. Drums 46 -are carried by either end of the shaft on which the cables 40 are wound. A ratchet wheel 48 on the shaft is engaged by a pawl 50 on one of the uprights to hold the hood in raisedposition. This pawl may be thrown out for lowering the hood. The cables 40 pass over pulleys 52 at the upper ends of the members 26 and the ends of the cables are secured 'to a bracing member 54 on the hood. From the lower side of the brace 54 a member 56 extends backward to strengthen the' sides of the hood.

The outer end 56 of the hood is arranged so that it may be-easily removed from the main body of the hood. For this purpose, plates 58 carrying hooks 60 are secured to the top of that end of the end portion which is to be secured to the' main body of the hood. These hooks engage in eyes 62 on the brace 54 as shown in Fig. 6. For fixing the lower part of the end section in place, braces 64are secured along the sides of the end portion. In the ends of these braces are apertures 66. Extensions 68 on the brace 54 form slots, as shown in Fig. 7, in which the braces 64 may be placed. Bolts 70 are then passed through aligned apertures in the extensions 68 and brace 54 and through the apertures 66. In this way the whole end section may be easily and quickly removed and carried on some other part of the machine.

On the other end of the braces 64 is a shaft 72. Pivotally mounted on this shaft are rigid members 74. The directing portion or tip 76 of the hood is carried by these rigid members and canv thus be pivoted with respect to the portion 56. This directing portion or tip is made slightly wider than the part 56 so that its sides can telescope with the sides of part 56 when the tip is lowered to the position shown in dotted lines at B, Fig. 1. The tip may also be raised to the position shown at A, Fig. 1.

On the rigid members 74 are pulley wheels 78, and around these wheels run cables 80. The raising or lowering of the tip is accomplished by movement of these cables in one direction or the other. On each plate 58 is a pulley 82 over which the cable leading from the lower side of the wheel is led. The cables running from the upper sides of the wheels are spaced by a spacing bar 84. The lower cables are brought together and secured to an eye 86, while the upper cables are similarly secured to an eye 88. Cables and 92 are secured to the eyes 86 and 88 in such a manner that they can be readily released from the eyes. These cables pass by pulleys 94 mounted on the back of the reinforcing bracket 22. The cables then pass through a double pulley 96 secured to the body of the machine and are wound in opposite directions on a shaft 98 mounted in uprights 100 and driven by a hand wheel 102. A pawl 104 and ratchet 106 hold the hand wheel and shaft in any position to which they may be adjusted. When the crank is turned, one cable will be taken up as much as the other is released and the wheel 78 is turned and the tip thus raised or lowered as desired.

It is thus clear that the present invention -has a number of advantageous features.

First, the vsnow escapes without being influenced by any air current. Second, the hood may be lowered and the end portion removed for transportation, thus permitting the machineto enter garages, gates and alleys which it could not otherwise get into. Third, the heightat which the snow is discharged from the hood may be varied to lit trucks of different height. Fourth, the angle of the tip may be changed so as to distribute the snow evenly over the Hoor of a truck or to control the distance from the machine at which it will be piled up. Fifth, a simple and cheaply made machine, which is yet strong and easy to operate, is provided.

vWhile we have described one embodiment of ourinvention, we wish it to be understood that we do not intend to limit ourselves thereby except within the scope of the appended claims.

IVe claim:

1. In a snow removing mechanism, a hood for directing snow ejected by a fan, said hood comprising an inverted trough shapedl member formed in a smooth curve, said hood being pivotally mounted, and hinged uprights adapted to support the body of the hood, the end portion of said hood being pivoted, and means for adjusting said-end portion to a plurality of positions.

2. In a snow removing mechanism having a spout from which snow is ejected by a fan, a hood for directing said snow comprising an inverted trough shaped member pivotally and slidably attached at one end to said spout, and means for supporting the other end of said hood in a plurality of positions.

3. In a snow removing mechanism having f a spout from which snow is ejected, a shaft secured on one side of said spout, rollers on the ends of said shaft, a hood for directing snow ejected from said spout, channel mem.- bers secured on the inside of said hood, said rollers engaging in said channel members,

whereby said hood is pivotally and slidably mounted on said spout.

4. In a device as claimed in claim 3, bolts at the ends of said channel members for securing said members to said hood and for preventing the escape of said rollers from said channel members.

5.`In a snow removing mechanism having a device by which snow is ejected, a hood for j, directing the snow ejected by saiddevice comprising a body portion pivotally connected to said plow, an end portion detachably sei cured to said body portion, and a tip pivotally attached to said end portion.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, the cross section of said hood being an inverted trough shape throughout.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5, the cross section of said hood being an inverted trough shape throughout, said body portion and end portion being formed in a smooth downwardly concave curve.

8. In a device as claimed in claim 5, means for adjusting the height of said end portion.

9. In a device as claimed in claim 5, means for adjusting the height of said end portionh and means for moving said tip portion to a plurality of positions.

10. In a device as claimed in claim 5, the

i cross section of said hood being an inverted trough shape throughout, means for adjusting the height of said end portion, and means for moving said tip portion toa plurality of positions.

11. In a snow removing mechanism having a spout from which snow is ejected, a hood for directing snow ejected from the spout, said hood being pivotally connected to said spout and comprising an inverted trough shaped member, uprights secured to the plow,

flexible means secured to said hood and guided by said upright members for raising the end of said hood to a plurality of positions.

12. In a device as claimed in claim 11, the

upper portions of said uprights being pivotfor moving said cable so as to adjust said tip to a plurality of positions.

14. In a snow removing mechanism having a spout from which snow is ejected, a hood pivotally and slidably vconnected at one end to said spout and comprising an inverted trough shaped member formed in a smooth downwardly concave curve, said hood consisting of a body portion, an end portion, and a tip, the body portion of said hood having apertures in the upper part thereof, hooks on said end portion adapted to engage in said apertures, the lower parts of said body and end portions having registering apertures therein, a bolt engaged through said apertures, said end portion and said tip being pivotallyjoined at the upper side, a wheel on saidl tip in alignment with said pivot, a

cable passing around said wheel, and means for moving said cable so as to adjust said tip comprising an inverted trough shaped member formed in a smooth downwardly concave curve, a shaft ixed to said spout, rollers carried on the ends of said shaft, channel members secured on the inner sides of said hood engaging said rollers, means for preventing the escape of said rollers from said channel members, whereby said hood is pivotally and slidably connected to said spout, said hood consisting of a body portion, an end portion, and a tip, said. end portion being detachably secured to said body portion and said tip being pivotally'carried by said end portion, a pair of uprights fixed to the plow, and upper portions of said uprights being hinged to the lower portions, wheels carried on said ice upper portions, flexible means connected'to said body portion and passing over said wheels, means for moving said iiexible means ing said cable to adjust said tip toa plurality v of positions.

16. In a snow removing mechanism, a hood for directing snow ejected by a fan, said hood being pivotally mounted, and hinged up- -liglts adapted to support the body of the 17. In a snow removing mechanism having a spout from which snow is ejected by a fan, a hood for directing said snow pivotally and slidably attached at one end to said spout, and means for supporting the other end of said hood in a plurality of positions.

18. In a snow removing mechanism having a spout from which snow is ejected, a hood for directing snow ejected from the spout, said .hood being pivotally connected to said spout, uprights secured to the plow, flexible means secured to said hood and guided by said upright members for raising the end of said hood vto a plurality of positions.

19. In a device as claimed in claim 18, the

upper portions of said uprights being pivoted to the lower portions.

20. In a snow removing mechanism having a spout from which snow is ejected, a hood pivotally connected at one end to said spout,

`a tip portion pivotally connected to the other end of said hood, a wheel secured to said tip portion in alignment with the pivot thereof, a cable passing around said wheel, and means for moving said cable so as to adjust said tip to a plurality of positions.

21. In a snow removing mechanism having a spout from which snow is. ejected .by a fan, a hood for directing said snow pivotally and slidably attached at one end to said spout.

22. In a snow removing mechanism, a straight spout through which snow is ejected in a straight line from an ejecting means in a generally upward direction, and means for guiding the ejected snow, comprising a smoothly bodily curved elongated conduit tangential at one end to the path of the ejected snow and serving to vturn the snow to move 1n a generally horizontal direction, and

means at the other end of the said conduit to direct the snow in a generally downward direction.

23. In a snow removing mechanism, a straight spout through which snow is ejected in a straight line from an ejecting means in a generally upward direction, and means for guiding the ejected snow, comprising a smoothly bodily curved elongated conduit open at its lower side tangential at one end to the path of the ejected snow and serving to turn the snow to move in a generally horizontal direction, and means at the other end of the said conduit to direct the snow in a. generally downward direction.

24. In asnow removing mechanism, a. i

open at its lower side tangential at one end to the path of the ejected snow and serving to turn the snow to move in a generally horizontal direction, and means at the other end of the said conduit to direct the snow in a generallydownward direction, said means comprising a curved deiiecting member open at its lower side pivoted to the end of said conduit, and means to adjust said deflecting member to a plurality of angular positions.

25. In a snow removing mechanism, an ejecting means ejecting snow in a straight line, and means for guiding the ejected snow, comprising an elongated downwardly concave conduit body open at its lower side and bodily curved tangential at one end to the straight line path of the ejected snow, a deflecting tip pivoted to the other end of the body of the conduit, and means for angularly adjusting said tip to a plurality of positions to vary the angle of discharge of the snow. In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our signatures.

WALTER E.-KLAUER. CHARLES L. OSTRANDER. 

